Sensational South Africa forward Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana swept the topmost individual awards – overall best player and top scorer – at the 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals held in Ghana.
The 22-year-old started her path to glory right at the start of the tournament when she came off the bench in the second half to score a brilliant volley five minutes from time which handed Banyana Banyana a dream start and 1-0 victory over eventual champions Nigeria.
Kgatlana would win the Woman of the game against the Super Falcons and go ahead to bag same in subsequent group games against Equatorial Guinea and Zambia. Not only that – she scored a quick-fire brace (60’ and 63’) before being substituted two minutes later in South Africa’s 7-1 thrashing of Nzalang Nacional Feminino and as well the only goal in the 1-1 draw with the Copper Queens – her first full 90-minute game. Three MvPs and four goals Kgatlana tallied at the end of the group stage.
In the semifinals, the Houston Dash attacker set the tone for South Africa’s historic first-time Fifa Women’s World Cup qualification with the opener and her fifth of the tournament on 31 minutes before Lebohang Ramalepe sealed the ticket later on in a 2-0 victory over Mali.
Though well-checked by Onome Ebi for most parts of the grand finale on Saturday, Thembi Kgatlana weaved her way into the spotlight with some brilliant moments which could have secured South Africa the ultimate trophy before the 4-3 penalty shootout heartbreak against nine-time record winners Nigeria. She lasted the entire 120-minute game.
The Technical Study Group (TSG) of the tournament could not have any better alternative that settling on the pacey South African as the distinguished player of the 11th Women’s Afcon Ghana 2018. With her five goals, Kgatlana also sealed the top scorer of the tournament gong.
Thembi Kgatlana is among three South Africa players that made it into the tournament’s Best XI players by the Caf TSG. Right-back Lebohang Ramalepe and skipper Janine Van Wyk are the other starters while teammates Kaylin Swart and Linda Motlhalo, who missed Banyana’s last penalty kick, were named among the substitutes.
Below are the lists of awards;
Total Woman of the Competition
Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa)
Top scorer
Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa)
Fair Play
Cameroon
Best XI
Goalkeeper:
Tochukwu Olueji (Nigeria)
Defenders:
Lebohang Ramalepe (South Africa), Janine Van Wyk (South Africa), Onome Ebi (Nigeria), Claudine Meffometou Tcheno (Cameroon)
Midfielders:
Raissa Feudjio (Cameroon), Marlyse Ngo Ndoumbouk (Cameroon), Elizabeth Addo (Ghana)
Forwards:
Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon), Chrestinah Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa), Bassira Toure (Mali)
Substitutes:
Kaylin Swart (South Africa), Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), Linda Motlhalo (South Africa), Genevieve Ngo Mbeleck (Cameroon), Francisca Ordega (Nigeria), Fatoumata Diarra (Mali)
